


Sleepless in the Lodging House

by spicycedric



Category: Newsies (1992), Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: also im not sorry, boots made me do it, im so sorry for this, newsiesquarantineproject, this may have been the best thing ive ever written
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-25
Updated: 2020-03-25
Packaged: 2021-02-28 21:53:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,092
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23304205
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spicycedric/pseuds/spicycedric
Summary: Crutchie can't sleep...but not for the reason he thinks.
Kudos: 19





	Sleepless in the Lodging House

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for Day 2 of #NewsiesQuarantineProject (#WatchWhatHappensFromAfar)
> 
> Enjoy!

Crutchie had yet to get used to sleeping in the lodging house. It was cramped, it was crowded, it smelled of mildew and body odor, and it was hot. Like, way hotter than should be legal. Though, he wasn’t sure most aspects of his life were legal anymore. Being as poor as he’d recently become, he no longer had the luxury of doing things the “legal way.” 

One thing in particular Crutchie hated most about the lodging house were the noises. When he’d first gotten there, Jack took him under his wing. Most nights they’d share a bunk, huddled close together during the cold nights. It was easier for him to sleep like that. As much as he hated to admit it, he was a scaredy-cat and a worrier. Every single noise he heard in the night kept him up, anxious about what it could possibly be. But as the weather got warmer, Jack slept on the roof more and more, and with Crutchie’s leg still on the mend, he wasn’t ready to risk it just yet. 

A couple weeks back, they had a bonfire out in the back alley (it was something Jack wanted to do, he said something about how it was almost like being in Santa Fe; nobody wanted to argue with him). Racetrack told one of his mediocre scary stories and that was all it took to set off Crutchie’s anxiety. Since that night he’d slept fitfully, to say the least. Laying in his bed, he could hear the sounds of something underneath him. Now, the lodging house had pests, that was for sure, but mostly cockroaches and rats. Nothing that would make this loud of a sound. Crutchie turned on his side and focused on watching the rise and fall of Romeo’s chest next to him, praying he would eventually fall asleep.

\------------------------------------------------------------

The night passed by slowly. Crutchie now knew the bladder cycle of each and every one of his lodging housemates. He knew that Race talked in his sleep, mostly just muttering the names of racehorses (with the occasional mumble of “Spot” coming through). He knew that Finch and Ike snored. He knew that Blink and Mush snuck out halfway through the night and were back before the wake up call, and he definitely didn’t want to think about what was going on there. And finally, he knew he had gotten not a single lick of sleep. The noises beneath his bed had ceased a few hours in, but that didn’t mean his fear had.

He sat up in bed, knowing they’d all be awoken before long anyway, and his bones ached with exhaustion. He grabbed his crutch and made his way slowly to the bathroom, hoping to at least get some hot water on his muscles before the rest of the boys took it all, when he was stopped by Jack coming down from the roof. 

“Hey Crutch!” he said exuberantly, but just at a low enough level that he wouldn’t wake the twenty or so other boys asleep around them. Jack was definitely a morning person once he woke up enough. Crutchie, on the other hand, was not, especially not today. His expression changed though as he looked Crutchie up and down. “Buddy, are you alright? You look like shit… no offense.”

Crutchie considered for a moment telling Jack what was going on, but he decided against it. He didn’t want Jack to worry.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” Crutchie responded, “Finch’s snoring kept me up, that’s all. I’ll be good as new once I’m out on the streets.”

“Sure thing, pal. I’m gonna head out, get an early start. See you at dinner?”

“Yeah, see ya.”

\------------------------------------------------------------

Crutchie, indeed, did not feel better once he hit the streets. In fact, he felt a lot worse. Luckily, he decided to hang around Romeo for the day, under the guise that he wanted some company. Around mid-morning he started feeling faint, and Romeo started to notice.

“I don’t need to go in, Romeo. I’m fine, really.” He insisted, but Romeo still looked at him with that incredulous, I-Don’t-Believe-You-But-I’m-Considering-Humoring-You look.

“Can I at least get you to sit for a second and I’ll get you something to eat?”

Crutchie nodded, begrudgingly. He didn’t like taking pity from people, but it was better than going inside for the day. Plus, things had started spinning and he needed to sit down anyway. So sit he did, and Romeo went off to find something he could easily get with a five finger discount.

As he sat, considering what excuse he could give Romeo when he got back, he heard a familiar voice call his name and looked up to see Racetrack jogging over.

“Hey Crutchie! Lookin’ rough. Did Booty keep you up?”

Crutchie stared at him quizzically, not knowing what on earth he could possibly mean by that.

“I’m sorry… Booty? Race, I know you tend to say some really outlandish things but-”

“No, I’m not crazy. Booty is a raccoon. You’re telling me you’ve never met the raccoon that lives in the lodging house?”

Race could tell by Crutchie’s unchanging stare that he hadn’t, and Crutchie could tell by Race’s expression that he was dead serious. 

“He typically sleeps under your bunk, you’ve really never noticed him? During the day he tends to hang out right by your usual selling spot too.”

Crutchie was at a loss for words, half of him believing it made total sense and half of him needing more proof that Race wasn’t full of bullshit (to be fair, he usually was)

Crutchie went out on a limb.

“Can you take me to him?”

\------------------------------------------------------------

After a couple blocks of walking, they came to an alley and Race was right, it wasn’t too far from Crutchie’s usual spot.

“Okay, so be careful ‘cause he scares easy.”

Crutchie couldn't help but think of how ironic that was.

Race led him down the alley a bit and they came to a trash can.

“I can hear him rustlin’ around in there but he’s gotta come up for air soon, just give him a second.” Race stated.

The two boys stood there for about three minutes and right before Crutchie was going to give up hope, sure enough a raccoon popped his head out of the top of the can and looked at the two boys inquisitively, a vaguely familiar sock hanging out of his mouth. 

Race looked at the raccoon and then back to Crutchie with a smug look on his face.

“Crutchie,” he said, “Meet Buttmunch Whip-It Trashpiss McGee.”

**Author's Note:**

> Buttmunch Whip-It Trashpiss McGee is an original character of Boots (https://violentbirds.tumblr.com)
> 
> I regret nothing.
> 
> Thank you.


End file.
